Hogwarts' John Wick

Snape was a master of Occlumency. 

His experience as a spy in Voldemort's ranks was proof enough of that. 

At the same time, he was also an extraordinarily talented individual. 

His Occlumency was at least Level 6—strong enough that even Voldemort couldn't see through his thoughts. Among the four Heads of House, he was undoubtedly the most promising. 

Snape was a genius when it came to creating spells. The Levicorpus spell that John often used, for instance, was one of Snape's own inventions. 

He was also a Potions Master. 

In terms of raw talent alone, Snape was second only to Dumbledore and Voldemort. 

If given enough time, he could have grown into the next great pillar of the wizarding world. 

And not just any great pillar—the kind that had no equal. 

Back in school, even Harry's father and Sirius Black had to team up just to bully Snape. 

Which, when you thought about it, meant that if they hadn't stuck together, Snape probably could have taken them down one by one. 

Unfortunately, Snape didn't have the luxury of time. 

The moment Voldemort was resurrected, his countdown began. 

Right now, he was nothing more than a disposable pawn, waiting for Voldemort's summons, continuing his double life—until the day he was inevitably found out. 

And yet, Snape had no complaints about it.

From the day the person he loved died, he had never been whole again. 

It was Dumbledore who kept him alive, giving him a purpose—to protect the pair of eyes that so closely resembled Lily's. 

'Johnny Silverhand,' Snape silently repeated the name in his mind. 

The man hailed as the second king beneath Dumbledore. Even Dumbledore himself maintained a deliberately vague stance toward him. 

That puzzled Snape. 

Dumbledore had already begun his preparations. He had sent Hagrid to the giants' territory to win them over. 

At the same time, other magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest were also being approached. 

Snape knew that if Dumbledore failed to secure their allegiance, it wouldn't be long before they became Voldemort's reinforcements instead. 

On the wizarding side, there were also several unstable elements that needed to be dealt with. 

And among them, Johnny Silverhand was by far the greatest wild card. 

His influence stretched beyond Britain, with numerous followers under his command. 

Snape was also privy to a major piece of information—the mysterious "Star Disciples" who had begun hunting down Death Eaters were, in fact, Johnny Silverhand's subordinates. 

This meant that cooperation between them was possible. 

Because they shared a common enemy.

At least, that was what Snape thought. 

He was led into Silverhand Manor, a once-ancient estate of pure-blood lineage, now transformed under the reign of the new king of the Knockturn Alley. 

As a wizard of exceptional talent, Snape immediately noticed the enchantments placed upon the manor. 

And then, he saw Johnny Silverhand. 

Compared to the man he had witnessed during the Triwizard Tournament, this one was completely different. 

A sinking feeling settled in Snape's heart. 

Tommy, sensing the atmosphere, quietly shut the door and left. 

Now, only the two of them remained in the study. 

"Lord Johnny Silverhand." Snape spoke with a probing tone. 

His own position was ambiguous—Head of Slytherin, a spy for Voldemort, and simultaneously a spy for Dumbledore. 

He did not yet understand Johnny Silverhand's hostility toward the Death Eaters. 

What if this was just another one of Voldemort's elaborate schemes? 

Given Voldemort's personality, he might very well be willing to sacrifice a few Death Eaters just to lull his enemies into complacency. 

Snape had originally assumed that Voldemort would contact him as soon as possible, allowing him to gain insight into his master's plans. 

But instead, Voldemort had vanished completely—there was not a single whisper of him. 

A hidden Voldemort was even more dangerous. 

Which meant Snape had to be even more cautious.

"Severus… Snape?" 

The deep, raspy voice curled through the air like a whisper against the ear, but Snape's expression remained unchanged as he gave a slight nod. 

After all, they had crossed paths at school before. Even if they had never spoken, recognizing his name was not surprising, right?

"Heh." 

John chuckled, his tone indifferent. "Tell me, Severus, what brings you here?" 

"A partnership, my lord." 

Snape was careful—he did not specify on whose behalf he was seeking this collaboration. 

If Johnny Silverhand had any contact with Voldemort, then he would already know about Snape's first layer of deception. 

Clever tactics—classic Slytherin. 

The way he played both sides for self-preservation almost made John want to applaud. 

Unfortunately, he had no time for games. 

"Severus, I don't like beating around the bush," John said flatly, idly rubbing the ring on his finger. "Get to the point before I lose my patience." 

Sensing the growing impatience in Johnny Silverhand's tone, Snape had no choice but to speak directly. 

"My lord, I came to warn you—Voldemort has returned." 

"And?" 

"You should understand what that means. We need to work together."

When Snape said those words, John laughed. 

He knew now—Dumbledore hadn't revealed his identity to Snape. 

What? 

Did Dumbledore think that just because Snape was the Head of Slytherin, I would listen to him? 

So John asked in return, "Why?" 

Snape was taken aback. "What?" 

"I mean, why should I cooperate with you?" John said, forcing patience into his tone. "Or rather, what do I gain from working with you?" 

"Johnny Silverhand, my lord, I think you didn't hear me clearly—I said, it's Voldemort…" Snape's voice carried a hint of sarcasm. 

John waved a hand dismissively, his tone cold. "And so what?" 

"What makes you think I'm a good person?" John's voice was laced with mockery. "Or do you believe I'm obligated to help you?" 

"Voldemort's return will throw the wizarding world into chaos, Sir..." 

"Severus, you still don't understand," John sighed, his voice indifferent. "I never said I was a good person." 

Snape found himself at a loss for words. 

John sneered. "He forgets that there are many ways to live in this world. The justice he believes in—why should I be bound by it?"

"Tell me, what qualifications does he have?" 

After speaking, John coldly stared at Snape. 

He didn't specify who he was referring to, but Snape understood. 

Johnny Silverhand was not friendly toward Dumbledore. 

Snape's expression darkened. He realized that this cooperation was hopeless, so he simply turned and left with a flick of his robes. 

"Severus." 

He was called back. Looking over his shoulder, Snape saw John leaning against his chair, his posture lazy and relaxed. 

"I heard you want to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" John said casually. 

Without waiting for Snape's reply, he added, "Good luck." 

'What did that mean?'

Snape frowned. His desire to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor wasn't exactly a secret. 

Taking it as nothing more than a passing remark, he turned and left. 

After he was gone, Tommy entered and spoke in a low voice. "Pierce is here." 

John waved his hand. "Bring him in."

The Head of the Auror Office, Pierce Thicknesse, entered the study with a smile. 

"Lord Johnny Silverhand." 

He bowed respectfully in front of John. 

What John liked most about Pierce was that he was a smart man. 

He knew how to interact with others, and showing respect to the right people was never a mistake. 

As the head of a powerful department, he was willing to set aside his pride to personally visit Johnny Silverhand and get things done for him. 

John chuckled. "My friend, Pierce." 

"My lord, after submitting the request, the trip to Azkaban has been arranged. I will be awaiting your arrival tomorrow as scheduled." 

Pierce showed no signs of resentment or humiliation, as if he was born to serve. 

Seeing how tactful he was, John decided to offer some encouragement. 

He said with a meaningful tone, "Amelia is a strong-willed woman. Working under her must not be easy for you, is it?" 

A trace of awkwardness flickered across Pierce's face. Unlike Scrimgeour, who was a hardliner, he didn't get along well with someone as domineering as Amelia. 

"This situation will change soon. You will become a hero," John reassured him, a dose of motivation that clearly moved Pierce. 

Since taking office, he hadn't accomplished anything outstanding. If this continued, his position would become unstable.

"My lord, your generosity commands my utmost respect." 

Pierce made up his mind—he would cling tightly to this golden opportunity. With such backing, what did he have to fear about his political future? 

"You earned this yourself," John replied, not bothering to tell Pierce that Barty Sr. was about to make a big move. 

A smart man like Pierce would surely know what to do when the time came. 

With the trip to Azkaban scheduled for tomorrow, John had no choice but to set aside the matter of the golden locket once again. 

Meanwhile, after hitting a dead end with Johnny Silverhand, Snape reported back to Dumbledore. 

Upon hearing John's stance, Dumbledore remained silent for a long time. 

"Contact the others. We need allies." 

Dumbledore began preparations to restart the Order of the Phoenix. 

He needed to recruit some people again.

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